Small victory. We're both somewhat technologically challenged. His computer had started making noises and randomly shutting off when he was using it. We thought it had died completely, but I decided to crack the thing open for the first time in my life and see if there was anything I could do. Lo and behold, it was CAKED with dust and crap - about 20 minuted with a vacuum cleaner and some improvised cleaning brushes, and it's operational again! Saved a few hundred dollars, which is what we would have spent on a new one!